The Southwest 737 involved in the wrong-airport landing had to brake hard and come to an abrupt stop ahead of a steep drop at the end of that airport's shorter runway.

Officials investigating from the National Transportation Safety Board say the pilots told them they mistook the bright runway lights at the smaller airport for the bigger one that's about 7 miles away. The runway at the smaller, downtown airport is about half as long as at the bigger airport.

"All of us have experienced a loss of situational awareness at some time," NTSB Chairman Deborah Hersman is quoted as saying at the time by USA TODAY. But "mistaking a nearby airport for the intended one, or landing on the wrong runway or a taxiway, can have catastrophic consequences."

As for the Southwest pilots, airline spokeswoman Brandy King declined to identify them to AP. Bloomberg News reports that the captain has been flying for Southwest for 14 years and the first officer 12.